OSP stolen-car chase leads to arrest S. of Bend

A southern Oregon man led an Oregon State Police trooper on a high-speed chase in a stolen car south of Bend Monday afternoon. The driver headed onto dirt roads and the car was damaged, but the trooper caught the man as he tried to run away, officers said.

The OSP Fish and Wildlife trooper was patrolling on China Hat Road near milepost 3 around 2:30 p.m. when he spotted the stolen red 2000 Cadillac Eldorado, troopers said.

The driver, later identified as Richard James Roy, 44, of Shady Cove, took off at a high rate of speed. The trooper briefly lost sight of the car, but was able to see it turn onto Horse Ridge Road.

The pavement eventually ended, and as Roy continued on the dirt road, the OSP trooper’s pickup was able to overtake the car, troopers said.

The Cadillac continued speeding along dirt roads in the area for several minutes, sustaining under-carriage damage and a flat tire. When it could no longer continue, Roy jumped out and tried to run, but was caught by the trooper a short distance away and arrested without incident, troopers said.

A search found Roy was in possession of a small amount of suspected methamphetamine, troopers said.

Roy was taken to the Deschutes County Jail and held without bail on a parole violation charge.

The eight new charges include felony attempt to elude in a vehicle, misdemeanor elude on foot, meth possession, reckless driving, reckless endangering, misdemeanor driving with a suspended or revoked license, third-degree theft and unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.

Other charges may follow, pending review by the district attorney’s office, troopers said.